American Beauty or American Psycho?

Lights, Camera, Action.

Is the American Dream the ultimate happiness?

In this short essay, I will be discussing two outstanding films that I had the pleasure of watching, American Beauty (Sam Mendes, 1999) and American Psycho(Mary Harron, 2000). At first glance, it’s obvious that, the key element of the two films relates to the ‘American’ dream. However, through my analysis I aim to achieve a deeper understanding of the concepts of these two films. I want to show you how the American symbolism( reoccurring themes) is used, to portray what could be argued to be a light hearted, satiric and ironically sarcastic visualisation of the Western idea of the ‘Great America’.

My fascination with America, their culture, fashion and film grew as I grew older. For many, America is the ultimate goal; I mean what could be greater than achieving the American Dream. For me, America, or in fact the concept of it is an enigma, a land full of dreams, hopes... But what is really hidden behind the red, white and blue? America is a land of freedom. For me, Lana Del Rey represents America in the way I want to see it. Hauntingly beautiful, enigmatic, full of dreams and sorrows. On the other hand, David Lynch (one of the greatest film directors that I know) captivates his audiences by his bizarre and surreal representation of ‘America’s dark underbelly’ as he calls it; his portrayal of American culture is simply haunting and out of the box. So is the ‘Americana’ a destination that we all want to arrive at, or a haunting, yet beautiful nightmare.

Whether you agree with me or not, the big world (especially America) is exciting and thrilling. Who wouldn’t want to walk down the Hollywood boulevard, drive down the iconic Mulholland Drive, what girl wouldn’t want to be Marilyn for a day, and most of all, what guy wouldn’t want to be James Dean. Dean the most iconic of them all, decades after his death he still remains the most influential style icon that America has given to the world. Now this is where American Beauty and American Psycho begin to play a major role, in my understanding of America (often seen by me as a different dimension). The films show all the glory of America, the successful, affluent elite, the suburban middle aged father who is going through a midlife crisis, the young beautiful high school girls, the outcasts, the cold hearted cheating wives, indeed America has it all. These two films, explore the idolisation of the culture and propose that perhaps, the distant continent is observed through a rose tinted lens.

So what do these American do? What do they get up to? Well watching American Psycho, it is implied that perhaps, the American dream is a utopia, nothing more nothing less. It’s a state of mind, something we all strive towards, something that leads to delusions. At first glance, the only thing that connects the two films is the title; American Beauty and American Psycho are fundamentally different, driven by different narratives, driven by different motives and themes. American Psycho introduces us to Mr Patrick Bateman (played by the handsome Christian Bale) the man who really has it all. The opening sequence of the film is bizarre, the music is somewhat tragic, but yet puts us at ease, we see the glory of Bateman, the sculptured physique, and his flawless complexion. I mean, this scene provokes the audience to feel envy, look at this perfect human being, but yet on the contrary the hauntingly muted apartment, everything is in the right place. When I first watched this film, I laughed a little inside, as it reminded me of being envious of the YouTubers I used to watch as a teenager and their perfect beauty routines. Bateman seems calm, but yet there is something haunting, emotionless about him. The shower scene plays a major role in understating the psychological processes of Bateman's character, he is organised, arguably self obsessed, and he shows psychopathic tendencies. What makes this scene really stand out is the narration, Patrick’s voice is calm, but it makes us feel something, something that we don’t want to feel, not fear, nor confusion, but something uneasy. There is something robotic about Patrick, the peeling of the face mask, supports the idea of Mr Bateman being nothing more but an illusion (the Westernised illusion of the American dream). While peeling off the mask (which is a symbolism for his split personality) Patrick tells the audience that there is no real Patrick Bateman, there is only an idea.

 This is arguably the most significant scene of the whole film. If we accept the concept that the narrative of the film is portraying the American Dream, then we can agree that, what the film wants us to understand is there is no American dream, it’s just an illusion, and it’s simply a mode of motivation for people to work harder.

The opening scene of American Beauty on the other hand, shows something we are accustomed to seeing, the suburban father played by the friendly Kevin Spacey (how can you not love this man) once again the music is slow, but yet more quirky than the music in American Psycho. In both opening scenes, the audience are lured into the story of one (main) character, whether it’s the middle aged man, or the affluent handsome socialite. Both films, adapt the idea of book type storytelling; the narration used within both films is really significant as it invites the audience to explore the subjects (main characters) inner thought processes. We have Mr Patrick Bateman, and we have Mr Lester Burham. What the audience are able to sense is the melancholy in both of the character's voices. At first glance, their lives seem perfect, a rich, successful handosome Patrick and a suburban father with a beautiful wife and big house, but after all, it’s all just an illusion.

Of course there are clear differences, where as Patrick has it all, and his apartment is astonishingly spotless, Lester‘s character is introduced to the audience in a dull room, alone in his bed. The main aspect, that links the two characters together is that they are both ‘dead already’. Lester clearly states that to the audience, where as Patrick poetically describes his existence (as he nourishes his face with various face products) as nonexistent, just flesh, but no Patrick. Comparing the two films, we see two different spectrums of a morning routine, while Patrick uses the high-end products to nourish his body and mind, Lester provokes a sense of pity within the audience ‘look at me, jerking off in the shower.’ The audience are presented with two different morning routines, but even though they seem different at first glance, they are connected in many ways.

 Both Lester and Patrick are simply dead, dull and unhappy. They reached the peak of their lives and are both living an illusion; they’re numb and unable to feel. Do you find yourself asking ‘come on guys, why are you so damn miserable, you both seem to have it all’ I surely did. I initially thought that I would be happy if I had Lester’s house and Patrick’s money. However, the films take us on a journey that engages us in the character’s lives, and we begin to understand why, even after achieving the ultimate American dream the two main characters live an empty life. They are both looking for stimuli, Lester is fixated on his daughters’ beautiful blonde friend, where as Patrick goes to the extremes of killing (although does he really kill?). Both characters are pushed to the extremes, as even after having it all they want more.

Now I may be going slightly off topic, but what really strikes me the most in American Beauty, is the typical portrayal of America. The film is definitely aesthetically pleasing; the white fence is complimented by the luscious red roses (a reoccurring symbol in the film). There’s just something so typically American about this, I believe this was borrowed from David’s Lynch epic Blue Velvet(1986). In the opening credits of Blue Velvet, the audience are lured into the American dream, the imagery that is presented is supposed to show everything American. Even David Lynch himself,  proposed that the opening credits of his first, most ‘Lynchian’ film are visuals that he remembers from his childhood, things that make America a bit more American. The white fence and the red roses are symbolic for the overly colourised illusion of the greatness that America has to offer.

I have been able to encounter American Beauty a few years ago, I was struck by the bleak, but yet comical opening sequence, and of course Kevin Spacey’s calming voice. I think that he was a perfect choice for the role, he doesn’t sugarcoat his life, and he says it as it is. It’s possible to say the same about Bateman, he doesn’t mislead his audiences into believing he enjoys his life, he makes sure that we all know he is dead inside right at the beginning of the film. In my opinion, both characters perfectly sum up our society (not just America) they allow us to see that we all pretend, we are passively living our lives, pretending everything is okay, using money to build our status, but then the bubble bursts. 

 What really stands out in American Psycho, is the eccentric and quite comically peculiar portrayal of Patrick’s envious nature. The scene where the colleagues are showing off their business cards really shows Patrick’s psychotic tendencies, for me this was a rather comical scene and the way Bale acted in this film is just outstanding. One may be even convinced that he was born for this role. On the other hand, we could arguably say that Lester let his ‘psychotic’ side shine through as well, especially during the dinner scene where he announces to his detested wife that he quit his job, blackmailed his boss, which then follows by Lester simply asking for the asparagus. The audience are able to see the change of the characters, as they fall into the spiral of denial. Where Patrick carries his vicious acts that are driven by envy or by his animalistic nature, Lester on the other hand, loses his inhibitions; he quits his job, begins smoking marijuana, and even catches his wife cheating. Both of the characters have clear urges, Lester is driven by the need to feel something new, where as Patrick needs to fulfill his demonic desires. For Lester, the iconic scene, where he catches his wife with another man at the fast food place he currently works at is very significant in his character development, at this point in the film, the audience are able to see that he really has had enough and his attitude changes. He just doesn’t give a fuck.

Although, the film’s narratives develop in a different manner, they both reach similar climax. Lester is wrongly accused of something he didn’t do, but yet his new lifestyle provoked the events which resulted in his death. Patrick simply loses his plot, although as he stated he was dead inside at the beginning of the story, the film really shows the downfall of a man. 

Masculinity seems to be the theme that connects the two films the most. There is no lie that tendencies of perfectionism, often lead to psychotic behaviors and even mental illness, and this is exactly what the audience are able to see within the two characters. Patrick is a perfectionist, his body is perfect, he has a routine, a perfected plan in every act, Lester is working towards that goal, and he is working towards everything that Patrick already has. They both want the perfect body; they ‘hunt’ the perfect woman. Perhaps, American Psycho is foreshadowing what could happen to Lester, even after he achieved his big American dream, he got his dream girl, toned abs, would he stop there, or would his new way of life drive him deeper into obsessive madness.

I want to highlight that, the two films are on a totally different spectrum, American Beauty is an uplifting, but yet tragic story of an ordinary man, who many can emphasise with, the typical guy with the typical problems. American Psycho, is a bizarre and a nonconventional story of a man, a man who appears to have what we all want, but yet becoming what we all fear. American Beauty, is praised for its outstanding cinematography, its aesthetic pleasing visuals and of course the uplifting, but melancholic narrative. American Psycho is shocking, dark, highly entertaining and enigmatic. So what do you think, do these films try to show the world what America is really hiding? American Beauty is rather simple compare to American Psycho as the psychotic Bateman is not a literal representation of America, he is in fact a metaphor. I hope we can all agree that both, Lester and Patrick are nonconformists, who through their singular ways of living try to conform to normality.

I highly recommend both films! American Beauty is a multiple Academy Award winner and is highly critically acclaimed. American Psycho is an entraining, often surreal tale of a man who could be one of us.

 Written by Anna Gaszkowska